Skilled birth attendants delivering smiles in South Sudan

South Sudan’s maternal mortality ratios are estimated at 800 deaths per 100,000 live births and an equally high neonatal mortality ratio at 37 per 1,000 live births based on 2015 data .

Further studies have shown that only one in four (25%) of mothers had given birth at a health facility or received care from a skilled birth attendant at the time of delivery. Some barriers contributing to the above picture include; inaccessibility of health facilities, fear of surgical interventions, lack of privacy, and perceived poor quality of care .

Various factors contribute to this statistic ranging from negative cultural practices, ignorance and limited access to health care. Deliveries by a skilled birth attendant can reverse this trend and lower these ratios considerably.

Asento* is a 30-year-old woman who previously lost two babies. She had life threatening complications with her second still birth and almost lost her life.

Pressure from the community and family members kept mounting and she experienced stigma for not having a baby.
“My in-laws hated me because I was not able to have a baby. I was considered unlucky and/or cursed because I had lost two children,” explained Asento.

When Asento conceived again, she was advised by a neighbour to ensure that she delivered in a health facility. I was not too convinced and hopeless initially but I heeded to her advice she narrated.

When she was due to deliver, Asento demanded to be taken to the nearest heath facility which was Gangura Primary Health Care Centre (PHCC) in Yambio County. She was attended to by a midwife and successfully delivered her baby.

“I am so grateful to my neighbour who saved my life, without her I do not think I would have my baby. I would also like to appreciate the midwife for putting a smile across on my face. I am happy to have delivered my baby in the hospital”.

“I can move freely with no complications or back pain that I had previously experienced. I just want everyone to avoid home delivery and know that there is safe delivery at the health facilities.”

‘’Home deliveries result in pain, discomfort and complications that are always threatening to the mother and child. These complications in turn permanently affect the quality of life for both parties” said Kenyi Scopas, the Yambio County health coordinator for World Vision South Sudan.

It’s common to hear from our mothers whenever we do facility supervisory visits that they have been delivering at home and developing complications such as bleeding and infections after delivery, he added.

The Health Pooled Fund 3 is working with stakeholder in the health sector to increase access to skilled birth deliveries and high quality maternal and reproductive health services through the provision of maternal and newborn care in 11 primary care facilities in Yambio County.

*Name has been changed to protect identity.